Pages

Strongly suspected allergy to cashew but a negative skin test to cashew - what to do?

A patient with urticaria and angioedema after eating cashews had a skin prick tests positive to almond and negative to cashew. How to explain it?

A negative food skin test is a good predictor of a negative food challenge, with greater than 95% certainty. However, one must have a "good quality" extract for skin test.

The incidence of "false-positive" skin tests to foods is much higher. The positive skin test to almond may not predict a clinical response, and may represent a sensitization without clinical reactivity.

- See the container from which the cashew was taken to exclude cross-contamination with almonds, e.g. "made in a factory that also processes other tree nuts", etc.

8 top allergens account for 90 percent of food allergies. Specific IgE levels (sIgE) that predict the likelihood of passing an oral food challenge are shown in the figure. (click to enlarge the image).

Subscribe and Connect

About Us

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed here are those of their authors and not of their employer. The information provided here is for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice. By accessing the web site, the visitors acknowledge that there is no physician-patient relationship between them and the authors.